Heel-building machine



E. E. WINKLEY.

HEEL BUILDING MACHINE. APPLICATION msn JUNE I0, I918. 4

1,3425366. Patented June 1, 1920.

8 SHEETS-SHEET l- Zflz'lne v I 17171622506 F. E. WINKLEY.

HEEL BUILDING MACH'INEL APPLICATION FILED JUNEVIO, 1918.

1,342,3 V PatentedJune--1,1920.-

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m I ma I E. E. WINKLEY".

HEEL BUILDING MACHINE. APPLICAVION FILED JUNE 10. 1.91.8.

1,342,366. Patented June 1, 1920 8 SHEETS-SHEET 4- zZy W4 A.

E. E."W|NKL'EY.- I

HEEL BUILDING MACHINE.

2aa----n APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1.0, I918.

- Patented June 1, 1920.

8 SHEETS--SHEET 5.

172 were 50/" E. E. WINKLEY.

HEEL BUILDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1918.

1,342,366. Patented June 1, 1920.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 6- fiZl/z'th 4;;5 In vqntol' E. E. WINKLEY.

I HEEL BUILDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE), 1918.

1,342,366. Patented Jun 1, 1920.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

324 263 l 276 255 292 25a 3 a d 262 I "E20 1 52; y 306 is) ma, I WW3 UNITED STATES "PAL-TENT OFFICVIEI ERASTUS E. WINKLEY, E LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR 'IO UNITED sHoE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF rA'rERsoN, NEW JERSEY, A COR ORATION 01' NEW JERsEY.

HEEL-BUILDING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 10, 1918. Serial No. 239,125.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, ERASTUS E. W'INKLEY, a Citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Heel-Building Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to heel-building machines and is primarily designed as an 1m-' provemcnt of the heel-building machine disclosed in Letters Patent No. 1,286,472, granted December 3, 1918, to the present applicant, although the several features of the invention are also applicable to other machines of this general class.

The machine set forth in the above-indicated patent comprises a link conveyer that is fed step-by-step through a plurality of lift assembling stations at which lifts are progressively deposited upon the conveyer in superposed relation to form heel-piles composed of any desired number of lifts. The lifts are initially disposed in graded stacks within suitable magazines and are removed one at a time therefrom and transferred to the conveyer at the several assembling stations by means of a corresponding number of pickers that are swung to and fro between the magazines and the inter mittently advanced conveyer. During the movement from the magazines to the conveyer, the lifts, being transferred, are dipped into a paste pot and are subsequently deposited upon the conveyer in superposed relation to form heel-piles. The heel-piles thus formed are then carried by the conveyer to a station at which they are subjected to pressure and are nailed together.

In building heels by means of the machine set forth in the patent above referred to, the resulting heel-piles are liable to be of varying heights, for the reason that the exact thickness of the component lifts is unknown and variable. This is particularly true if some or all of the lifts are of leather,

since lifts of this character differ materially inthickness. Leatherboard lifts are more apt to be of known and uniform. thickness,

but even with such lifts slightvariations may occur, which, if cumulative, produce, a heel-p1le thatis either too high or too low.

One of the objects of the present inven- Patented June 1, 1920.

tion is to modify and improve the construction and operation of the prior machine and to provide an automatic heel-building machine which shall be capable ofmaking heels of a substantially definite height, whereby any two heels so built may be used together to form heights.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide the prior machine with uitable means for determining the height of partially built a pair'of heels of like heels and for controlling the subsequentoperation of the machine in accordancethe're' with to insure the production of heels of the desired final height.

More Specifically, it is anobject of the invention to provide a heel-building machine 1 for building heels, composed of several leather lifts of unknown and possibly Varying thickness and the remaining lifts of leatherboard which are of approximately known thickness, and toincorporate therein means for measuring the heels When partially built and after the leather lifts of unknown thickness have been assembled, and for controlling the selection of certain of the leatherboard lifts which are subsequently assembled thereon in order to approximately correct for any departures of the partially built heel so measuredvfrom a prescribed standard height, whereby completed heelsof substantially uniform height are built.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, one of the features thereof resides in apparatus located at certain of the intermediate assembling stations of g the prior machine for measuring the height of a partially built heel, and in selective means thatis controlled by the measuring apparatus for causing the transferring pickersto deposit upon the incomplete heel at certain of the later assembling stations a lift that is of normal thickness or one which is relatively thick or thin, according as the partially built heel that is measured is determined to be of proper height, too low or too high.

Another feature of the invention; lies in a plurality of auxiliary magazines with which certain of the last pickers, may cooperate, one of said magazines containing lifts that are thinner than the normallifts in the main magazine and the other containing thicker lifts, and in a plurality of measuring devices .which act upon a partially built heel at intermediate assembling stations and which respectively control the operation of certain of the pickers to cause them to remove a lift from one or the other of said auxiliary magazines according as the terms lifts and .heel-lifts, unless otherwise qualified, are employed in an inclusive sense as defining any blank or layer of material capable of being handled by instrumentalities of the character described, more particularly, such blanks as are useful in the formation of heel-piles from which heels are ultimately produced, irrespective of the particular shape of the blank or the nature of the material of which it is'composed.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which, Figure 1 is a view in end elevation, of a machine constructed in accordance with the" invention; Fig. 2 is an elevation of the left-hand portion of the machine, looking from the right of Fig. 1; Fig.

3 is an enlarged sectional view of one of the measuring pins; F ig. el is a plan View of one of the double clamps which cooperates with one of the sets of main and auxiliary magazines; Fig. 5 is a plan of the left-hand portion of the machine illustrated in Fig. '1, showing particularly the measuring devices in their relation to the pickers; Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of one of the adjustable rollers that are associated with the last two pickers and by means of which said pickers are actuated to remove a lift from the main magazine or the auxiliary magazine, in accordance with the operation of the measuring devices; Fig. 7 is an enlarged view, partially in side elevation and partially in section, of the measuring device for determining whether or not the partially built heel is too hi h, the parts of the device being illustrated in the positions which they occupy at the time the measuring pin is first brought into engagement with the heel; Fig. 8 is, a view, partially in section and partially in end elevation, the section being .takenon the line 8-8 of Fig. 2, and'showing particularly the measuring device for determining whether or not the partially built heel is too high, the parts being in the positions which they occupy after measuring a heel that is abnormally high; Fig. 9 is an enlarged view in end elevation of one of the adjustable picker rollers in cooperative engagement with the cam by which the I picker is actuated; Fig. 10 is a View similar to that .of Fig. 8, illustrating the measuring device fordetermining whether or not the partially built heel is too high, the parts thereof being shown in the positions which they occupy after having measured an extermining whether or not a partially built heel'is too low, certain parts of the device being removed for the sake of clearness; Fig.

12 is a sectional View taken on the line 1212' of Fig. 11; Fig. 13 is a sectional view of one of the double magazine clamps shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 14 is a view, partially in section and partially in end elevation, the section being taken on the line 14-14 of Fig. 2, and showing particularly the structural details of one of the pickers and the relative positions of certain parts of the low-heel measuring device; and Fig. 15 is a diagrammatic View or chart representing the machine of the invention and showing particularly the relative arrangement and location of certain of its essential parts.

Referring to the drawings, the heel-building machine shown comprises the following main parts which are substantially similar to the corresponding elements of the prior machine, and which include a frame 20 for supporting the various mechanisms of the machine; a plurality of main magazines 22 for containing gradedstacks of lifts; a link conveyer 24 intermittently advanced through a plurality of assembling stations and upon which the liftsare progressively assembled in superposed relation to form heel-piles; a paste-pot 26 into which the lifts are immersed during their transferal from the magazines to the conveyer; a plurality of swinging pickers 28 for removing single lifts from the magazines, immersing the lifts in the paste-pot and subsequently depositing them at the assembling stations upon the conveyer; and a pressure and nailing device designated by the general reference character 30 for subjectin the completely asan auxiliary magazine 34, hereinafter termed the thin-lift magazine, for containing lifts that are thinner than those within the main .magazines; a measuring device, hereinafter termed the high heel measuring device and including a measuring pin 36 for determining whether or not a partially built heel is too high or too thick; a measuring device, hereinafter termed the low-heel measuring device, and including a measuring pin 38 for determining whether or not a partially built heel is too low or too thin, and selecting mechanisms controlledby the respective measuring devices and including adjustable rollers 40 that are associated with the last two pickers for causing said pickers to remove lifts from the main or auxiliary magazines in accordance with the height determinations of'the respective measuring devices. 7

Referring particularly to the diagrammatic representation of the machine shown in Fig. 15, the machine comprises a row of twelve main magazines 22 for containing stacks of lifts that are graded as to size, and

the link conveyer 24 upon which the heels' are assembled and'which is advanced stepby-step through twelve assembling stations, at each of which a lift from the corresponding magazine is deposited thereon to progressively build up a heel-pile. The lifts in the main magazines 22 are removed therefrom and deposited upon the conveyer at the twelve assembling stations by means of the twelve swinging pickers 28. Each of these pickers is adapted to occupy three successive salient positions, as shown in Fig. 8,-the first A, in which a lift is removed from the main magazine 22, the second 13, in which it immerses the lift so removed into the pastepot v26 that is located intermediate the row of magazines and the conveyer, and the third C, in which it deposits the lift upon the conveyer or upon the superposed lifts already assembled thereon. The path of movement of one of the pickers is illustrated by dash lines and arrows in Fig. 14.

Every fourth picker operates in the same timed relation, and when the first, fourth, seventh, and tenth pickers occupy their depositing positions, the second, fifth, eighth and eleventh pickers are in their paste-pot positions, and the third, sixth, ninth and twelfth pickers are in position over the main magazines.

four single lifts are superposed thereon at four assembling stations. Thus,-a plurality of heels are progressively built at the same time and one heel is completed at the last station at each stepof the conveyer.

That portion of the machine which has just been briefly outlined, constitutes a part of the prior machine and forms no direct part of the present invention except as it performs certain necessary functions in the operation of the machine. j V

The machine of the present invention vis especially intended to build heels of a pre-' scribed height, said heels being composed of a plurality of leather liftsthree, for example-which constitute the tread end of the heel, and a plurality of leatherboard lifts which make up the heel-seat end thereof. The particular character of the lifts is, of course, immaterial.

The first three mam magazines 22, beginning at the right in Fig. 15, are filled with leather lifts of unknown and variable thickness, andthe remaining main magazines are filled with leatherboard lifts of substantially uniform and known thickness. The last two main magazines 22, at the left, have auxiliary magazines 32 and 34 respectively associated therewith, the auxiliary magazine 32 adjacent the last main magazine being the thicklift magazine, and the auxiliary magazine 34 adjacent to the next to the last main magazine being the thin-lift magazine.

Inasmuch as leather lifts are of variable and unknown thickness and leatherboard lifts are of fairly uniform and definite thickness, the section of assembled lifts which is most likely to vary in height and which includes the leather lifts, is measured after the heel is partially built. If this partially built heel is of proper height, the normal operation of the machine continues, and leatherboard lifts of substantially uniform and known thickness are removed'from the main magazines 22 and assembled upon-the conveyer 24 to produce a heel of the desired.

height. If, however, the partially built heel is found by the low heel measuring device to be too low, the last picker 28 is caused to remove a relatively thick lift from the auxiliary thick-lift magazine 32 and to deposit it upon the superposed lifts on the conveyer to approximately compensate for the discrepancy. If, on the other hand, the partially built heel is determined by the high-heel measuring device to be too high, the next to the last picker is caused to take a relatively thin lift from the thin-lift auxiliary The advance of the conveyer 24: is timed with the movements of the pick-- ers 28 so that at each step of the conveyer for any variations detected, the resulting heels produced are of a substantially uniform predetermined height.

In order to permit of the measurement of the heel section of variable height, the heels are assembled upon the conveyer with the small leather lifts at the bottom, and

tofacilitate such an assembly, the conveyer is provided with formers 42 into which the lifts are deposited and built up into heel.- piles. Subsequent to the progressive assembly of lifts uponthe conveyer into heel-piles of predetermined heights, said piles of lifts are transferred to a nailing station in which the piles are subjected to pressure and nailed together. This portion of the machine however, constitutes a part of the prior machine and forms no part of the present in vention. g Having very briefly described the operation of the machine as a whole, a more detailed consideration of its structure and mode of operation will be given. The heel-building machine, illustrated in the drawings, being in the main similar in construction and operation to that of the prior machine, only a general description of the common parts thereof is deemed necessary, reference being had to the patent for a detailed description thereof. 7

'However, that portion of the machine by means of which the partially built heels are measured and subsequently built to the predetermined height pertains directly to the present'invention and will be set forth form a frame for containing a stack of lifts" which rest upon a movable follower 48 to which is attached a flexible member or cord 50 that passes over @a pulley 52 and supports a weight54, by means of which the follower 48 and the stack of lifts disposed thereon are constantly urged toward the upper end of the magazine.

In order to prevent the lifts from being discharged at the upper end of the magazine, a plurality of retaining bars; 56 and 58 are disposed lengthwise of the machine, and

' normally are in position to be engaged by the uppermost lifts. in each of the maga- When it is desired to remove liftsv zines. from the magazines, it is necessary to with draw the retaining bars 56 and 58, which is accomplished by means of a cam 60 (Fig. 1) upon a cam-shaft 61 and a suitablemechanism including a bell-crank lever 62 that is actuated thereby and which need not be I described.

At the time that the retaining bars 56' and 58 are withdrawn to permit the removal of the uppermost hfts 1n the mam magazines, provlsion must be made to prevent the upward feed of the stack of lifts,

Each of the clamping devices of the main magazines comprises relatively movable clamp jaws which are actuated into clamping position at the proper time by means of cams 70 v (Fig. 1 and a cam-shaft 72 through the agency of suitable actuating mechanisms, including bell-crank levers 74. These clamping devices and actuating mechanisms are in general similar to those employed in connection with combined main and. auxiliary magazines that are located in the paths of movement of the last two pickers and which will be hereinafter fully set forth.

The link conveyer 24,. upon which the lifts are assembled after being transferred fromthe magazines22, is supported at either end upon sprockets 76. (Fig. 1) that are suitably journaled in the machine frame 20. The conveyer comprises a plurality of formers or molds 42 (Figs. 1, 2

and 7) in which the heels are built up in upright position and which are connected together by two intervening links 80. The formers 42 and the links 80 are pivotally connected by means of rods 82 and constitute an endless link conveyer.

The upper stretch of the conveyer 24 is supported upon an inverted channel-shaped member 84 (Fig. 8) that extends lengthwise of the machine, and the conveyer is actuated in a series of steps through the several as sembling stations by means of an intermittent feed-and-lock actuating mechanism designated by the general reference character 86 and shown in part in Figs. 8 and 10. This actuating mechanism 86 is, or

may be, similar in construction and opera-' tion to that set forth in the patent above referred to, and therefore will not be described herein.

. The formers or molds 42 comprise a bottom-plate. 90 (Fig. 7), a breast-gage 92, and a plurality of inclined and adjustable back-gages 94 that are angularly disposed with respect to one another. Without'describing the details of construction of the formers, it will be understood that by ad justing the positions of theinclined backgages 94, the formers may be adapted to receive heels of any size and form.

The paste-pot 26 is suitably supported by the machine frame 20 intermediate the row of main magazines 22 and the conveyer 24 and extends longitudinally of the machine.

The pickers 28 hereinbeforereferred to, which constitute the devices for transferring the lifts from the magazines to the' conveyer 24 are illustrated particularly in Figs. 2, 5, and 14. These pickers are simi lar in construction and operationto. those of the aforesaid patent, except that thelast two pickers are slightly modified in construction in order to adapt themfor the purpose of the present invention.. vBy

reason of the modified construction of the last two pickers and the operation of certain of the pickers with the measuring devices already referred to, it is deemed desirable to describe the pickers in detail in order that a clear understanding of their operation with respect to the present invention may be obtained. 7

Each picker comprises an arm 100 (Fig. 14) which is loosely pivotedtupon a shaft 102 journaled at the top of the machine. In order toswing the picker arms about the shaft 102, each arm is provided with a lug upon which is journaled a cam-roller 40, and each cam-roller engages one of a series of similar cams 104. The cams104i are Ifixed upon and rotated by a cam-shaft'106 journaled in the frame of the machine and are rranged in different angular positions on the shaft and uniformly spaced so "as to cause the pickers to operatein succession and at equal intervals of. time. Each picker arm 100 is integralwith an arm 108, to which one end of a tension spring 110 is connected, the

springs acting to maintain the cam-roller 40 in engagement with the cam 104.

Each picker arm 100 carries a slide 112 which is pivotally connected by a pin 114 near its upper end with an eccentric strap 116'that embraces an eccentric 118 fixed to the shaft 102 upon which the picker arms are journaled. This shaft rotates constantly at three times the speed of thecam shaft 106'. Its rotation has no effect upon the swinging movements of thepicker arms,

but the eccentric mechanism, justdescribed, operates to raise and lower the slides 112 in the picker arms, and by the combination of this movement and. of the'swinging movements imparted to the arms 100 by the picker cams 104,'the pickers are caused to follow the required paths of 'movement which are approximately indicated by. the dash lines and arrows inFig. 14.

Each picker-slide 112 carries a stem. 120

having an enlarged lower end 122 which shdes freely in the lower end ofthe picker slide. The upper portion of thestem 120 is reduced in diameter and slides through an opening in the upper end of the picker slide 112. The stem is normally held in its lowermost position by means of a compression spring 124 surrounding the stem 120 and in closed within the picker slide 112, theilower end of this slide engaging the enlarged lower end 122 of the stem, When the slide is advanced, however, by means of the eccentric mechanism above described and the spring 124 yields and permits the stem 120 to slide upwardly within; the picker slide 112.

To seize the lift, the picker is provided extremity of the picker engages a lift, the I with a plurality of curved claws 126mounted in radial slots128'in thelower extremity of the stem. These claws are pivotally mounted and are of such form that they may be either withdrawn entirely within wardly to impale a lift; I r

This operation of the claws is produced by means of a plunger 129 which'is suitably connected to the pivoted claws. The plunger 129 slides longitudinally in the stem 120 and is provided with an enlarged upper head 130. Beneath this head is a compression spring 132 which normally holds the plunger in raised position so that the clawsare retracted within the stem. The plunger 129 is actuated by means of a second plunger the slots or swung in such manner that their sharp points move downwardly and out 134, a compression spring 136 of greater j strength than the spring 1 32 being-interposed between the'heads 137 and 130 of the two plungers to permit the necessaryyielding of the. lower plunger when the claws 126 have fully seated themselves in the lift.

more provided with a second, depending finger 146 by means of which the pickers are actuated to remove lifts from the one or the other ,of the auxiliary magazines 3 2 and 34, as .will be hereinafter ,morefully exblained- A pring & fixed t0 thebra'cket portion thereof then swings the lever in '142 serves as a stop to limit the counterclockwise movement of the cam lever 138. v

The operation of the pickers 28 is as follows: A plurality'of cams 150 by which the cam levers 138 are actuated are all 'mounted upon the cam-shaft 61 that also carries the cam 60 for operating the retainers. .When one of the pickers 28 is swung to the general position designated by the reference letter A in Fig. 8, the finger 144 of'the correspondingcam-lever 138 becomes engaged by one of the cams 150 and a raised such a direction as to cause it to depress :the plungers 134 and 129, thereby forcing the claws "126, downwardly and outwardlyinto the lift. This action occurs after the j eccentric mechanism has brought the end of the picker stem 122ifirmly into'engage- "ment with the upper surface of the uppercam 150, independent means are provided for holding the plunger 134 in depressed position until the proper time for releasing the'lift. To this end, the latch 156is pivoted upon the bracket 142 in position to cooperate with a keeper 158 which is adjustably mounted upon the upper end of the plunger 134. and is beveledso as to pass freely by the latch. when moving downwardly.

V The operation of the latch is controlled by means'connected with the picker slide 112. The slide112 as shown in Fig. 14, is provided with a lug'160, to which the upper end of a rod 162, is adjustably fixed. The

7 lower end of this rod is providedwith a shoulder 164 adaptedtoengage an arm 166 projecting from the latch. .l/Vithin alongi tudinalopening in therod 162 slides a rod 168. having at its lower end a head 170, also adapted tocoiiperate with. the arm 166 on the latch. The rod 168 is normally held in its upper'position by means of a compres sion spring 172 engaging a head 174 on the rod.

f The operation of the latch mechanism is as follows: When "thepicker slide 11.2 is depressed by the eccentric mechanism in the general position A (Fig. 8) of the picker and the extremity of the picker stem engages'the uppermost heel lift in the maga- Zine 22, the spring 124 yields, as hereinbefore desc'ribechso as to permit. the picker stem 120 to be arrested while the slide 112 completes its downward movement. This; action. results in .a relative movement between the bracket 142 on which the latch 156 is pivoted and the latch-operating rod 162,

whereby the latch is released and swung into inoperative position, as will be understood. At this tune, however, the claw-actuating cam 150 acts to depress the plunger 134 and f throw the claws 126 into operation, and also to depress the latch-keeper 158 into position to hold the claws in operative position while' the spring 124 maintains the picker stem in engagement with thelift'at the top of the stack, and the resulting relative movement of the bracket 142 and the latch controlling rods causes the head 170 of the rod 168 to engage thearm 166 and swing the latch into engagement with the keeper 158. By the continued upward movement of the slide, the picker then acts to raise the liftfrom the stack, and the latch acts to hold the claws in operation during this movement and during the subsequent swinging movement of the picker arm. I Afterthe picker has withdrawnthe upduced by thecombinationjof the swinging movement of the arm 100 and the longitudinal movement of the slide112, thepick'er acting first to swing the lift over the pastepot and then to depress it therein. Having dipped the lift into the paste,-the picker then acts to raise the lift out'of the pastepot and swing it into position C (Fig. 14) above the conveyer 24 on which the heels are assembled. ,This conveyer .is not'illustrated in Fig. 14, but one of the pickers in the lift-depositing position is shown in the act of depositing a lift upon the top of a partially'lmilt heehpile.

When the picker arm 100 has been swung to the position C, the eccentric mechanism acts toqdepress the slide [112,2 thereby,

through the action of the spring 124, forcing downwardly the stem 122 and the lift carried thereby, so as to cause the lift to ad here to the top of the pile of assembled lifts. The throw of the eccentric is such that the downward movement of the slide 112 causes a substantial pressure to beapplied throughthe spring 124 to'the lift 7eing deposited. The lower end of the picker stem 122, whichbears on the central portion of the lift, is the ultimate pressing agent, and through this localized pressure, the air is expelled from between the lifts and the paste isspread into a thin film;

'90 permost lift from. the magazine, as above After the pressure has been applied, the

continued compression of the spring .124

causes the claws to bereleased from the lift,

through the action of the rod 168, as will be understood from Fig. 14:. Havingdeposited the lift, as just described, the picker is raised by the eccentric mechanism and is then swung back to the position A, thereby completing the cycle of operation of the picker. The path of movement followed by the lower extremity of the picker is represented approximately by. dash lines and arrows in Fig. 14. Although Fig. 14 illustrates particularly the two last pickers, which are adapted to cooperate with the auxiliary magazines, still, the relationship of the parts'is similar to that of any of the other pickers which cooperate with only the main magazines 22.

For convenience in manufacture, the pickers 28 are made in groups of three, the cycle of operation of one of the groups being shown in, Fig. 1 1. .In' the machine illustrated, there are four of such groups of pickers, whereby a twelve-lift heel may be built, although any desired number of groups may be employedin accordance with the requirements of the heel to be built. From this grouping of the pickers, it is evident that every fourth picker will occupy a similar position. Thus, if the first picker is engaging a lift in the magazine 22, the fourthqwill be in the same position, while the second and third will be respectively in the paste-pot and in the lift depositing position above the conveyer. Thus, since every fourth picker operates similarly and at the same time, it is clear that in the illustrated machine, four pickers are concurrently depositing four lifts of different sizes at separated assembling'stations on the conveyer, whereby a plurality of heel-piles are concurrently and progressively built, a heel being completed at the last assembling station at each step or movement of the conveyer. I

The assembly of lifts in one of the formers or,m0lds 42 of the conveyer'h'aving been completed, the conveyer is advanced to a nailing station, at which a nailing device designated by the general reference numeral 30 is located, and which functions to nail together the component lifts to form a completed heel. V

Having described, in greater or less detail, the construction and operation of those fundamental portions of the machine by means of which heels are automatically built, which portions are substantially similar to the corresponding elements of the prior machine, the novel features of-the present invention through the agency of which heels of predetermined heights are built, will now be fully set forth.

'Accordingto the present invention, the auxiliary magazines 32 and M are, disposed adjacent to and beyond the last two main magazines 22 and in the path of the swinging movement of the last two pickers 28. The auxiliary magazine 32 is the thick-lift magazine and contains leatherboard lifts of substantially uniform and known thickness which are somewhat thicker than the lifts contained in thecorresponding main magazine, while the auxiliary magazine 34 is the thin-lift magazine and accordingly contains relatively thin lifts.

Both of these auxiliary magazines are of a construction similar to the main magazines, which have already been described, and differ only, in that additional retainer bars 180 and 182 are provided, and in that the clamping devices of theassociated main and auxiliary magazines are combined and operated by a common actuating mechanism.

The retainer bars 180 and 182 are respectively mechanically associated and actuated with the main magazine retainer bars 56 and 58, as shown in Fig. 1, but no specific description thereof is deemed necessary.

The clamping devices associated with the auxiliary magazines 32 and 34- are, in general, similar to the main magazine clamplng devices and are actuated concurrently therewith. For convenlence, a single member 184 (Figs. 4, 8 and 13) cooperates with projection or pin 193 carried by the clamp member, 188 projects into an opening 194: in the stationary clamp member 186 for the purpose of maintaining the movable clamp member 188 in alinement. The movable clamping member 190 is quite similar to the movable clamping member 188 and is mechanically associated therewith by a plurality of links 192 that have their respective ends pivotally connected thereto.

The movable clamp member 19'O is provided with a slotted lateral projection 196 which is adjust-ably secured to a block 198 adapted to slide longitudinally between guideways 200 that are suitably securedto the member 184. The slotted projection 196 is fastened to a lower flange 2020f the block 198 by means of bolts 20 1. These bolts project through a plurality of transverse slots in a wedge-shaped member 206 that is dis-.

v In order to actuate these movable clamp;

, the upper ends of both associated magazines ing members, a toggle is provided com rising a link 208 and a short arm of a ellcrank 210, the long arm thereofcarrylng a roller 214 that coiiperates with a suitable cam 7 0 upon the shaft 72. This cam is designed to actuate the toggle, just referred to, periodically so as to effect the clamping of the upper lifts in the associated main and auxiliary magazines at the moment that the retainer bars 56, 58, 180 and 182 are withdrawn. Thus, the followers 48 and 218 upon which the respective stacks of lifts rest are prevented from being raised to force the upper lifts from the .top' of the magazines.

The clamping devices for the respective main magazines are similar to those just des'cribed,except that only a single set of relatively 'movabl'e clamp-jaws is provided difference residing in the supplemental ex-- tended finger 146 with which these particular levers are provided and which are adapted to be'enga'ged by the cams 150 upon the cam shaft 61 whenever the corresponding picker 28 is swung to such an extent as to remove a lift from one ofthe auxiliary magazines.

This extended swinging movement of the j last two pickers into the position D over the auxiliary magazines, as shown in Fig. 10, is efl'ected by means of a plurality of large cams 220 that are fixed to the main camshaft 106 and are positioned adjacent to the main cams 104 which effect the normal operation of the pickers. These double cams for the last two pickers 28 are shown clearly in Figs. 2 and 5 and in dotted lines in Fig.

6, to which reference may now be had.

- .As already stated, the rollers 40 that are associated with the last two pickers are ad- 7 justable in position so that they may be cooperatively engaged by either one of. the main operating cams 104 or by one of the large auxiliary operating cams 220. As indicated in Fig. 6, the roller 40 occupies such a position with respect to these cams that the swinging movement of the associated picker is produced bythe large auxiliary cam 220. I 7

The roller 40 is pivotally .mounted by means of a threaded bolt 222 to the end of a sleeve 224 that is slidably mounted between special lugs 226 and 228 that constitute parts of the picker arm 100. The sleeve 3 224 is provided with a fixed collar 230 that has an inclined surface 232, and disposed intermediate said surface and the lug 228 is a bifurcated wedge member 234, the legs 236 of which are tapering in form. This wedge member 234 is provided with a hooked arm 238 that extends upwardly through a notch 239 between the lugs 226 and 228, and said member is maintained in alinement by means of a key 240. A spring 242 is disposed within the hollow end of the sleeve 224 and is held in place by a removable plate 244 that is screwedto the lug 226. The spring 242 tends to force the sleeve 224 and the associated roller 40 to the right, as indicated in Fig. 6, in which position the roller may be engaged by the supplemental cam 220. V

The position of the roller 40 of course depends upon whether the bifurcated wedge member 234 occupies its raised or its lowered position, it being evident that if said member is forced downwardly from the position illustrated in Fig. 6, the inclined. collar 230 that is fixed to the sleeve 224 is forced toward the left, whereby the roller 40 is moved in a corresponding direction until it coiiperates only with the main actuating cam 104.

The actuation of the bifurcated wedge member 234 is effected automatically in accordance with the height of a partially builtheel, by means of the measuring and selecting devices which will hereinafter be described.

These measuring devices comprise the high-heel measuring device which is located 100 at the fifth from the last or theeighth assembling station, and the low-heel measuring device which is disposed at the fourth from the last or the ninth assembling station. I

As previously explained, it is desirable to measure the height of a partially built heel, which includes all of the leather lifts of unknown thickness, and, therefore, when such a heel upon the conveyer reaches the 110 eighth assembling station, it is acted upon by the high-heel measuring device to determine whether or not it is too high.

This measuring device comprises the slotted pin 36 which, as shown in Fig. 3, is ad- 115 justably and pivotally mounted at the end of a bell-crank 248 upon a bushing 252 that surrounds a shouldered bolt 246 and is sufficiently long to permit of pivotal movements of the pin even though the bolt 246120 is tightened to such a degree as to clamp the pin 36 with respect thereto. 7

The bell-crank 248 (Fig. 7) is pivotally mounted upon a bolt 254 near the'end of an arm 256 which is pivotally supported upon 125 a rod 258 that is carried in bearings 260 upon a bracket 261 that is positioned upon the frame of the machine. The arm 256 is suspended from, and raised and lowered by,

a cam 262 (Figs. 7 and 8) that is fixed to 130 the main cam shaft 106 and which cotiper ates with a roll 264 that is carried at the up per end of a yoke 266 that is connected to an intermediate point of the arm 256 by a rod 268.

The arm 256 is provided with a plurality .of upwardly projecting lugs 270 and 272 tion by means of a spring 284 that is inter-' posed between pins carriedby the pawl 27 8- and the latch 282. Thelatch 282 is provided at its outer end with a notched shoule der 286' which is adapted to engage a boss 288 on the lug 272- when the rod 274 and attached pawl 278 are forced to the right toa suflicient degree. The rod 27 4 and the pawl 278 are normally held in the position indicated in Fig. 7 by means of a spring 290 that surrounds the rod 274 between the lug 272 and a collar 292 that is fixed to said rod.

In the operation of the apparatus, the measuringpin 36 is first lowered into engagement with the heel that occupies the eighth assembling station by means of the cam 262, the position of the parts being as indicated in Fig. 7. This is not the measuring position, however, since the slide 112 of the picker 28, that functions in the manner already explained to deposit a lift at this station, is not yet in its full down position, the action of gravity on the arm 256 and associated parts being insufficient to compress the spring 290 and actuate the rod 27 4 and pawl 27 8. As the slide 112' is actuated by the eccentric mechanism into its lowermost position, the end of said slide engages the extended end 294 of the arm 256 and thereby positively actuates said armin a downward direction. The extent of down ward movement is determined by the particular longitudinal adjustment of the measuring pin 36 together with the height of the partially built heel being measured.

In order to adapt the high-heel measuring device to properly function, it is necessary to initially adjust the measuring pin 36 with respect to its pivotal connection to the bell-crank 248, so that the rod 274' is actuated to the right sufficiently to permit the shoulder 286 of the latch 282 to drop behind the lug 288'on the bearing 272 and thus latch the rod 274 and associated pawl 27 8, only when a'heel of greater than a prescribed height is being measured.

Having adjusted the pin '36 as indicated, it is evident that if the heel, being measured, is of the prescribed height, or too low, the relative movement of the bell-crank 248 with respect to the arm 25.6 is in'suflicient to actuate the rod 274 and associated pawl 278 into their latched positions; whereas, if the heel be too high, the positive downward movement of the arm 256 effects a suiiicient clockwise rotation of the bellcrank 248, to actuate the rod 274 and associated pawl 27 8 against the action of the spring 290 into their latched position shown in Fig. 8.

Advantage 1s taken of these two positions of the pawl 27 8 to selectively adjust the roller 40 of the next to the last picker 28, so that the said picker is caused to remove either a lift of normal thickness from the main magazine 22 or a relatively thin lift from the auxiliary magazine 34, according as the partially built heel being measured is found to be either correct or too low, or to be toohigh. p

This selective action is accomplished by the aid of an upright arm 298 (Figs, 2, 5 and 7) that is pivotally mounted adjacent to the arm 256 upon the rod- 258. The arm 298 is provided with a lug 300 against which the pawl 27 8 normally rests and with a lug 302 beneath which the pawl 278 is positioned when the heel being measured is found to be too high. Normally, therefore,

the pawl 278 occupies the position indicatedin Fig. 7 and remains in this position when a heel of the proper height or a low heel is measured. Therefore, when the arm 256 is raised by the cam 262 after such a heel has been measured, the pawl 278 lies in such a position thatit merely moves idly upward-1y between the lugs 300 and 302 without effecting the actuation of the arm 298.

If, however, the partially built heel being measured is found to be too high, the pawl 278 is moved into position beneath the lug 302, as indicated in Fig. 8. Therefore, when the arm'256 is subsequently raised through the operation of the cam 262, the arm 298 is also raised. The arm 298 is rigidly connected by means of a yoke 306 to an arm 308 that is also pivoted upon thev shaft 258 and is located opposite to the nextto the last picker 28 at the eleventh assembling station. Pivotally connected tothe end of the arm 308 is an upwardly projecting rod 310 (Fig. 8) having a bifurcated upper end 312 that is adapted to engage the upper hooked extremity 238 (Fig. 6) of the wedge member 234 that is associated with the next connected thereto andhas a pivotal support upon a pin 316 that is carried by abracket 261. The arm 314 is further provided with an extended stop-finger 320 that cotiperatively engages a portion of the bracket 261 for the purpose of limiting the downward movement of the rod310 and its associated parallel-motion operating linkage already 1 described. I

By reason of the construction just de scribed, it will be understood that when the arm 298 is raised in accordance with the action of the high heel measuring device, the arm 308 that is associated therewith effects the elevation of the upright rod 310. The upper bifurcated end 312 thereof which engages the hooked extremity 238 of the wedge-member 234, carried by the next to the last picker, therefore raises said wedge member into the position shown in Figs. 6 and 10. By this actuation, the roll 40 associated with the next to the last picker 28 is positioned so that it may be engaged by the large auxiliary cam 220 which subsequently functions to swing the picker to the position D overthe auxiliary magazine 34, as shown in Fig. 10, from which a relatively thin lift is removed and later deposited at the eleventh station upon the heel which has .just been measured.

From the foregoing description, it is clear that if a partially built heel be measured in the eighth assembling station and found to be higher than a prescribed standard, the next to the last picker 28 places a relatively thin lift upon the heel when it reaches the eleventh station, whereby the discrepancy resulting from the variations of the leather lifts of unknown thickness is approximately compensated for.

During the elevation of the arm 256 and associated pawl 278, and immediately after the pawl has been brought into engagement with the lug 302 of the-arm 298, a pin 321 upon the latch 282 is engaged by the upper hooked end of a stationary stop 322, where by the latch 282 is withdrawn from the lug 288. Thus, the sprin -actuated rod 27 4 and its associated pawl 238 are released. They are not, however, immediately restored to their initial positions, for the reason that the engagement of the pawl 278 with the lug 302 is sufficient to prevent their return movement until the arms 256 and 308 are subsequently lowered by the cam 262.

Having raised the rod 310 and effected the adjustment of the wedge-member 234 into its upper position, thecam 262 maintains the rod 310 as well as the arms 308 and 256 in their upper positions until the next to the last picker 28, the roll 40 of which has just been adjusted, again returns to its lift-depositing position. In this position and before the picker has been lowered by its eccentric mechanism, the hooked end of the wedge-member 234 is located within the grasp of the bifurcated end 312 of the rod 310.

The cam 262 then lowers the arm 256 and member 234 is reset to its initial lowered position. The measuring apparatusis then in condition to repeat the cycle of operation hereinbefore described. I

If the partially built heel measured at the eighth station by the high-heel measuring device is found to be correct, or too low, the pawl 278 has an idle movement and no adjustment of the roller 40 of the next to the last picker 28 is effected. Therefore, this picker operates through its usual cycle and in due course removes a lift of the usual thickness from the main magazine 22 with which it cotiperates, and subsequently deposits it upon the heel. The high-heel measuring device, therefore, merely effects a correction in height in case the partially built heel is found to be too high.

Attention is now directed to the low-heel measuring device which embodies the measuring pin 38 and which is located at the ninth assembling station where it acts upon each heel as advanced to this station by the .conveyer. The low-heel measuring device is illustrated in Figs. 11, 12, and 14 and is essentially similar to the high-heel measuring device just described. Therefore, no detailed description of the low-heel measuring device is deemed necessary, except to point out the slight differences in construction and operation that characterize it. The reference characters which desi nate the parts of the high-heel measuring device are also applicable to the corresponding and like elements of the low-heel measuring device.

The main distinction between these devices lies in the fact that although the pawl 278 of the low-heel measuring device normally occupies the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 11, it is restrained against unrestricted upward movement by means of a lug 324 that is integral with an arm 326 which is pinned to the shaft 258. Moreover, the measuring pin 38 is initially adjusted so that if the partially built heel being measured is of the proper height or too high, the pawl 278 is actuated toward the right a sufficient distance to escape the lug 324 on the arm 326, in which position it is latched by the latch 282, as will be understood. Therefore, as the main arm 256 which carries the pawl 278 is raised, the pawl 278 is moved idly past the lug 324 and no actuation of the arm 326 is effected. However, if'the partially built heel being measured is too low, the pawl 27 8'is retained in its normal position beneath the lug 324, so that upon the subsequent raising of the arm 256 and associated pawl 278, the upper end of said pawl engages the lug 324 and therefore raises the arm 326. V

The operation of the low-heel measuring device just described is rendered effective in selectively controlling the operationof the picker 28 at the last assembling station by a linkage mechanism that is similar to that located at the eleventh assembling station and which has already been described. The only essential difference lies in the fact that the arm 308 of the low-heel measuring device is pinned to the shaft 258 and thereforemoves with the arm 326 which is similarly secured thereto, instead of being integrally associated with said arm through the agency of a connecting yoke such as is employed in the high-heel measuring device.

From the foregoing description, it is clear that if a partially built heel that is measured in the ninth assembling station by the low-heel measuring device is found to be of the desired height or too high, the pawl 27 8 is moved idly past the lug 324 of the arm 326, and therefore no adjustment of the roller 40 on the last picker 28 is effected. Therefore, the last picker functions in its usual manner to remove a lift of ordinary thickness from its main magazine 22. If, on the other hand, the low-heel'measuring device detects a low heel at the ninth assembling station, the pawl 278 remains in such position as to efl'ect the actuation of the arm 326 and, therefore, of the linkage at the last assembling station, by means of which the roller 40 of the last picker is adjusted, whereby the large auxiliary operating cam 220 is brought into engagement with said roller and swings the picker into position to remove a relatively thick lift from the auxiliary magazine 32, and to subsequently deposit it upon the heel being built to approximately correct for the variation detected by the low-heel measuring device.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that each partially built heel which includes the leather lifts of unknown and varying thickness is measured at two different intermediate stations. At the eighth station, it is measured to determine whether it is too high, and if so, the next to the last picker is caused to remove a relatively thin lift from the auxiliary magazine 34 and deposit it upon the heel. At the ninth station, the partially built heel is measured to determine whether it is too low,

and in that event, the last picker is caused to remove a relatively thick lift from the auxiliary magazine 32 and to deposit it upon the heel. Thus, means is provided for measuring a partially built heel and subsequently and selectively correcting for any variations detected so that a heel of approximately predetermined height is insured.

Although the invention is set forth as embodying a plurality of measuring devices and in connection with a heel building machine of a particular type, it is within the spirit and scope of the invention'to utilize any means for measuring a partially built heel and to control the subsequent assembly of lifts thereon in order to insure heels of a predetermined height, irrespective of the specifie character of the heel-building machine employed.

Having described and illustrated the prejferred embodiment of the invention, that which is claimed as new is i 1. A heel-building machine having, in

combination, a support upon which a heelpile is built, means for superposingthe'reon a plurality of lifts of unknown thickness, means for measuring the height of a partially built heel-pile including said lifts, and means controlled by said measuring means for subsequently superposing thereon lifts of known thickness to produce a'heellecting certain of said lifts of known thickness to insure a heel-pile of predetermined height. I

3. A heel-building machine having, in

combination, a support upon which a heelpile is built, means for superposing thereon a plurality of lifts of unknown thickness, and means acting on a partially built heelpile including said lifts for controlling the selection and subsequent assembling thereon of lifts of known thickness to insure. a heelpile of predetermined height.

4. A heel-building machine. having, in

combination, a support upon which a heel-. pile is built, means for superposing thereon a plurality of lifts of unknown thickness, means for determining the height of a pare tially built heel-pile including said lifts,

and means controlled by said last means for depositing thereon a thick, thin, or normal lift of known thickness according as said partially built heel-pile varies from or conforms to a prescribed height.

5. A heel-building machine having, in combination, a series of lift magazines, a

means for removing lifts from said maga zines and assembling them on said support to form a heel-pile, and means for determining the height of a partially built heelpile and selecting a lift to be deposited thereon to produce a heel-pile of the desired height.

6. A heel-building machine having, in

support upon which a heel-pile is built,

combination, a series of lift magazines, a support on which a heel-pile is built, means for removing lifts from said magazines and assembling them on said support to form a heel-pile, and means controlling the assembly of lifts to insure a heel-pile of predetermined height.

7 A heel-building machine having, in combination, a series of lift magazines, a support on which a heelpile is built, means for removing lifts from said magazines and assembling them on said support to form a heel-pile, and, means acting upon a partially built heel-pile controlling the selection of subsequently assembled lifts to insure a heel-pile of predetermined height.

8'. A heel-building machine having, in combination, a series of lift magazines, a support on which a heel-pile is built, means for removing lifts from said magazines and assembling them on said support to form a heel-pile, and means acting upon-a partially built heel-pile for selecting a lift of suitable thickness to be deposited thereon to insure a heel-pile of predetermined height.

9. A heel-building machine having, in

combinatien, a series of lift magazines, a

support on which a heel-pile is built, means for removing lifts from said magazines and assembling them on said support to form a heel-pile, means acting upon a partially built heel-pile for determining its height,

and means controlled by, said last means for selecting a thick or .thin lift to be deposited thereon according as said partially built heel-pile varies from a prescribed height.

10. A heel-building machine having, in combination, a series of lift magazines, a support on which a heel-pile is built, means for removing lifts from said magazines and assembling them on said support to form a heel-pile, plural means acting successively upon a partially built heel-pile for determining its height, and plural means respectively cooperating with said last plural means for respectively causing said assembling means to select a thick lift or a thin lift according as said partially built heelpile varies from a prescribed height.

11. A heel-building machine having, in combination, a series of lift magazines, a support on which a heel-pile is built, means for removing lifts from said magazines and assembling them on said support in superposed relation, a plurality of means acting successively upon said superposed lifts for determining the height thereof and for re spectively depositing thereon a thick 11ft if determined to be too low and a thin lift if determined to be too high.

12. A heel-building machine having, in combination, a series of lift magazines, a support on which a heel-pile is built, means for removing lifts from said magazines and assembling them on said support to form a partially built heel-pile, means acting upon said partially built heel-pile to determine its height, and means dependent upon said last means for selecting from said magazines and depositing upon said partially built heel-pile a thick, thin, or normal lift, according as said partially built heel-pile is less than, greater than, or conforms to a prescribed height, whereby a heel-pile'of prede tcrmined height is built.

18. A heel-building machine having, in combination, a series of lift magazines, a support on which a heel-pile is built, means for removing lifts from said magazines and assembling them on said support to formv a heel-pile, means for determining the height of a partially built heel-pile, and means dependent upon said last means if said partially built heel-pile is too high for selecting a thin lift from one of said magazines and depositing it upon said pile.

14. A heel-building machine having, in combination, a series of lift magazines, a support on which a heel-pile is built, means for removing lifts from said magazines and assembling them on said support to form a partially built heel-pile, means for determining the height of said partially built heel-pile, and means dependent upon said last means if the heel-pile is too low for selecting a thick lift from one of said maga zines and depositing it upon said pile.

15. A heel-building machine having, in combination, a series of main lift magazines, an auxiliary lift magazine, a support upon which a heel-pile is built, means for normally removing lifts. successively from said main magazines and assembling them upon said support to form a heel-pile, and means dependent upon the height of a partially built heel-pile for causing said removing and assembling means to remove a lift from said auxiliary magazine and deposit it upon said partially built heel-pile.

16. A. heel-building machine having, in

combination, a series of main lift magazines,

' port upon which heel-piles are built, means for normally removing lifts successively 

